PETE WARD
PETE WARD
"WELCOME TO MY OUTDOOR WORLD"
GEAR REVIEW
56"-49# "KWYK-STYK" RECURVE
by
"JACK KEMPF"
Tel / Fax 780-467-3939
Email jkempf@compusmart.ab.ca
We have known Jack Kempf for several years and have always admired his great talent as a custom Bowyer .Most traditional archers in
This review is a bit different in the way it is being done. The kwyk-styk we are reviewing is not a new bow. It is 10 years old and was purchased for my wife second hand from it's original owner. The little Red bow is still like new .It has certainly stood the test of time and use.
Pat my wife fell in love with her kwyk-styk the first time she saw and tried the little red bow. After a year of longing for it I purchased it for her as a surprise. It was very well received.
This bow has been hunted and shot for many years with little wear evident. The limbs are as straight as the day they came from the form. The finish was still in almost new condition when we got it .It is a bow that shoots with good performance and always draws attention at any shoot Pat takes it to. The working tip limbs and riser are red stained maple Actionwood. The grip is very pleasing to hold, however Pat did find it a bit large for her small hands.
Last month we took it into jacks shop for a grip size reduction and re-finish with a flat no glare clear coat .Today it looks and feels new .The smaller grip is perfect for her, yet it does not look any different .Jacks craftsmanship is flawless.
The forward mounted riser makes for a very sweet shooting bow and it is quiet too. There is no hand shock and only the slightest hint of some vibration. The limbs are mounted with 2 pins and a single bolt for precise alignment every time. Like all of Jacks bows the kwyk-styk has his signature antler arrowhead on the limb and the tips are reinforced with moose antler. All Kempf bows are rated and sold with Modern fast flight type Flemish twist strings. There is no stacking up to 28",which is as far as we tested it.
We do like it braced a bit higher than Jack recommends, however we have all of our bows set up like this.
No review is complete without a chronograph test. The Kwyk-styk was done with a brace height of 8 1/2", finger release and beaver ball silencers. It is set up to hunt , and that is the way we test bows.
Chrono results for 49# @ 28" KWYK STYK
Bow was braced at 8 1/2" which is more than the recommended brace height.
Pat prefers shooting the KWYK STYK at this setting.
All shots were taken at the same session with fresh
A 10 strand DF97 padded loop string from Rod Jenkins is installed on this bow, and all shots were taken with a finger release.
|
Draw length |
Draw weight |
Arrow |
FPS |
Arrow |
FPS |
Arrow |
FPS |
Arrow |
FPS |
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0 |
|
636 |
|
557 |
|
475 |
|
444 |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 1/2 |
brace |
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9 |
00 |
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10 |
04 |
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11 |
10 |
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12 |
15 |
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13 |
18 |
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14 |
20.5 |
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15 |
22.5 |
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16 |
25 |
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17 |
27 |
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18 |
28.5 |
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19 |
30.5 |
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20 |
32 |
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21 |
34 |
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22 |
36 |
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23 |
38 |
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24 |
40 |
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25 |
42 |
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26 |
44 |
636 |
144 |
545 |
153 |
477 |
160 |
444 |
168 |
|
27 |
46.5 |
636 |
150 |
545 |
160 |
477 |
169 |
444 |
175 |
|
28 |
49 |
636 |
159 |
545 |
168 |
477 |
180 |
444 |
182 |
By now I have shot at least one of every model bow that Jack makes and I have not shot one I didn't like. I have never seen a bow leave his shop that was not superbly crafted. Without any hesitation I often refer people to Jack when they ask about a place to get a truly custom bow built that is top quality.
Jack Kempf's bows are all good. The "kwyk Styk" is Pats choice in Jacks Kempf bows, but my pick is the Little Grizzly , Flat bow. That review will be done when I receive the 50", 55# little grizzly that is on order.
Pete Ward
"Welcome to my outdoor world"
A few words from Pat:
I will start this review by saying I was never a big fan of recurves until I acquired this bow. I always liked the slimmer lines of a longbow and found recurves to be too bulky looking for my tastes. When I first saw Jack’s Kwyk Styk that all changed and I fell instantly in love with the design of this bow. The forward mounted riser gives it more of the sleek look I have come to love in longbows, and the wood being all the same color adds to the beauty of the over all appeal for me.
The bow I have is all maple and is 50#s@28”. This is an ideal weight for me. The bow draws like silk and after a few minor adjustments has virtually no noise or hand shock. I shot this bow in several 3-shoots in 2005 and it is a shooter! It is lightweight and I can carry it all day and not tire my arms out like I find happens with so many other recurves.
The only drawback I had with this bow was the grip was a bit too large for my hand, but after speaking about this with Jack and a visit to his shop, the bow now sports a re-worked grip that fits my hand like a glove.
My bow has the standard recurve limbs, but Jack also makes this model with a static limb design. If I was in the market for another recurve I would not hesitate to order another bow from Jack. His workmanship is top notch and his customer service is as good as it gets.
Pat Ward